If you spent your childhood growing up in the 1970's and early 80's. Who doesn't remember seeing Kerplatt, Thwack, Bam, Boff and Kapow, plastered across your TV screens? To name just a few.
And if you didn't actually see those very words, I bet you think you did. Powerful stuff. Plus, not forgetting Adam West's iconic 'holy macaroni', 'holy doughnut', and yes I swear to god it's true, 'holy inflatable shark'.
Batman, the 1960s American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. Staring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, two crime-fighting heroes who defended "Gotham City". Is an iconic classic that stills holds a few lessons for the advertising industry of today.
Dreamed up by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, with ABC first screening it to American households in 1966. For two and a half seasons from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968. Despite its short run, the show had a total of 120 episodes, having two weekly installments for most of its tenure.
After a hesitant start William Dozier and his Greenway Productions were charged with bringing the comic strip to the TV screen. Dozier, who loathed comic books, concluded the only way to make the show work was to do it as a Pop Art comedy. Generally keeping the scripts more on the side of Pop Art adventure.
And along with an attempt to ensure that the TV series appealed to the child audiences, who'd been it's most loyal comic book supporters. Dozier decided to take the comic strips penchant, for embellished every fight scene with liberal and internally memorable doses of onomatopoeia words, over to the screen. Through the introduction of a more Pop Art approach.
Eighty-seven wonderful onomatopeias from the Batman television series, right here.
Onomatopoeia words are those that imitate or suggest the source of the sound that it describes.
The fact that the show's marriage of fight scenes and onomatopoeia words, left such a lasting and power impression. Is in part, testament to the insights held by the producers, of both it's child and adult audiences. The power this technique holds in both association, recall and involvement. Along with an entrepreneurial spirit to go with their experience and confidence, believing in something that hadn't seen the light of day before. It reminds me of Mad Men and Maddison Avenue from the 1950's and 60's.
Advertising has already used onomatopoeia as a mnemonic, helping consumers to remember their products. Take Rice Krispies, whith it's "snap, crackle and pop" every time you bathe them in milk. Or in road safety advertisements: "clunk click, every trip". Click the seatbelt on after clunking the car door shut.
But to date, no one's employed the technique of mixing association, recall and involvement, quite as memorably or as successfully as that of the 1960's Batman TV series. With their marriage of verbal and visual onomatopoeia.
Yes Rice Krispies has it's "snap, crackle and pop", that you could argue holds household status. But Kellogg's has had the budget to push that particular Brand for the past 80 years now. Originally airing in 1933. Where as Batman only had two seasons, and delivered it to far greater effect.
There's one word I've mentioned, that keeps coming back to me, Iconic. When was the last time you saw advertising achieve icon status, without having the stratospheric budget to match.
Your childhood may hold more that it's letting on.
